1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a honing installation for the honing of workpieces.
2. Description of the Related Art
Honing is a machining or cutting process with geometrically undefined cutting edges. The multiple cutting edge honing tools perform a cutting movement comprising two components. As a result the machine surface has defined crossed traces of the cutting movement. The different method variants determine the surface structure attainable by honing. Honing makes it possible to produce finished surfaces satisfying extremely high demands with regards to the dimensional and shape tolerances, as well as the surface structure. Thus, e.g. during engine manufacture cylinder working surfaces (inner surfaces of cylinder bores or liners) and bearing surfaces for shafts undergo honing. During the machining of cylinder working surfaces typically several different, successive honing operations are performed, e.g. rough honing or prehoning for producing the necessary basic shape and finish-honing for producing the ultimately required surface structure. The success of the machining can be checked by subsequent measurement steps.
In the mass production of engine blocks and other workpieces to be machined by honing frequently multistage honing machines are used, which e.g. comprise a rough honing unit and a finish-honing unit, a rough honed workpiece being transferable within the honing machine in a direct manner to the finish-honing unit. Equipment for further processes, such as measuring and deburring, can be integrated into such a honing machine. To increase production capacity a honing installation can contain several work stations in the form of such honing machines in an arrangement linked with the aid of a conveying system.
If it is intended to machine workpieces of different sizes and shapes, a honing machine has to be retooled for the particular workpiece type, which generally requires a replacement of the corresponding honing tools and/or a reconfiguration of the control. By modular construction of honing machines attempts are made to minimize the necessary retooling times in order to improve the economics of the honing process. However, the honing machine is unavailable for the period of retooling or also for any necessary repair. In the case of the normal linking of several honing machines to a transfer line, the latter is “stationary” if a work station temporarily fails due to retooling or repair.